JACKSON, Wyo. — The owners of two local fishing outfitters are partnering with the University of Wyoming (UW) to bring a fishing guide certification course to the state, modeling it after an advanced training program for professional guides in Montana.
Mike Dawes, of Snake River Anglers, and AJ Sanders, of Wyoming Angling Company, recently audited a guide school put on by the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana (FOAM) in hopes of bringing a similar product to Wyoming. That goal has come to fruition through a partnership with the Jay Kemmerer Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality (WORTH) Institute at UW. The certification program will be tailored specifically to Wyoming waterways, regulations, conservation practices and guiding traditions.
“[We] went up there [to Montana] and we were kind of blown away,” Dawes told Buckrail in December 2025. “It was a really amazing product. We learned a ton and got to do the online portion as well as the practicum.”
FOAM’s guiding certification, as well as the upcoming Wyoming program, features online coursework and an in-person practical session. The inaugural class in Wyoming will culminate with the practical on Wyoming waters in April, according to UW.
Wyoming’s inaugural cohort of fishing guide students will provide key feedback and evaluations of the curriculum in order to help WORTH refine the content for the future. UW stated that once the program is finalized, it will offer an advanced certification for fishing guides that will help strengthen workforce development, conservation ethics and visitor experiences statewide.
“This course represents an important step in professionalizing fishing guide training in Wyoming,” Dawes told UW. “It’s about elevating standards, supporting stewardship and ensuring guides are equipped to deliver exceptional and responsible experiences.”
Dawes compared commercial fishing to big game outfitting in Wyoming, saying that it’s “quite the process” to become a big game outfitter or guide. “To have that on one end of the spectrum, and then have nothing for fishing, is kind of wild and unfortunate,” he said.
Director of UW’s WORTH Institute Dan McCoy echoed those sentiments, pointing out that the angling outfitter industry lacks a nationally recognized framework for core competencies and curriculum standards.
“Other outdoor professions — such as avalanche education and professional trail building — have invested in clear competency standards and training pathways,” McCoy told UW. “Fishing guiding is ripe for the same kind of thoughtful professionalization.”
Last year, the Wyoming Legislature passed a bill requiring the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) to appoint an advisory board to oversee and develop rules for commercial fishing outfitters. In December, WGFD Public Information Officer Amanda Fry told Buckrail that no regulations or fees have been associated with commercial angling operations in the state since 1989. That changed this year, when the advisory board enacted a permit system for all guided fishing boats on state waters.
Those interested in learning more about the training certification can email Sanders or Dawes for more information.
